10 foods to try or buy

New foods on the block

Our round up of fascinating new produce in the shops by Phil Mundy. Here\'s the first...

RED BANANAS

When we think of bananas we imagine yellow curvy fruits, often with a few brown spots. Well, think again! Morrisons now sells red bananas in their fresh produce aisles providing a welcome break from the norm! There were a few strange glances here, when they appeared in the office fruit bowl, but once people were convinced they really were edible the compliments flowed.

There are many subtle and not-so subtle differences between them and their yellow skinned cousins: smaller in size; paler, creamy white flesh; a slightly tangy, almost raspberry like flavour and they also seem to ripen slower in the bowl.

Good Natured juices

With ethical shopping still (and quite rightly so) a hugely hot topic amongst consumers, the arrival of Good Natured juices onto the shelves can only be seen as a positive one.

Good Natured are the first range of juices to carry the Rainforest Alliance seal of approval. The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensures sustainable livelihoods working closely with growers, landowners, companies and co-operatives to ensure that ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them, are protected.

With pure orange juices from tangy Valencian oranges and pure tropical juices - comprising orange, pineapple, mango and passionfruit from Costa Rica, breakfast just got greener.

Priced from £1.59 for 1 litre from Booths, Waitrose and Fresh and Wild.

Twinings Lemon Grove

Spring is here and with the scent of blossom filling the air, your senses are awakening from hibernation. If you really want to perk up your tastebuds, Twinings Lemon Grove is sure to do the job perfectly. When brewed it has the traditional rich colour from black tea, but with the aromatic citrussy fragrance and tang. Unlike lemon tea, Twinings Lemon Grove can be drunk with milk, ideal if you\'re not a fan of drinking black tea.

Partner a cup with a toasted hot cross bun or a slice of simnel cake for a refreshing afternoon treat.

Priced £1.89 for 50 teabags, exclusive to Waitrose

EPC Fairtrade Coffee Dessert Sauce

We\'ve all heard of Fairtrade coffee, but new to shoppers is Fairtrade Coffee Dessert Sauce from The English Provender Company- who make such labour savers as lazy ginger and lazy garlic.

Rich and velvety, this is so moreish it can be eaten by the spoonful straight from the jar. For a simple pud, drizzle a warm slice of Madeira cake with coffee liqueur or amaretto, spread generously with coffee sauce and top with a dollop of lightly whipped double cream and a little freshly grated dark chocolate. It may be heavy on the calories, but knowing that the ingredients are Fairtrade helps to reduce the guilt!

Priced £1.89 from Waitrose and online at www.englishprovender.com

Bacheldre Watermill Oak Smoked Strong Malted Blend Flour

Smoked foods are becoming ever more popular with the range of smoked fish, cheeses and meat constantly on the increase. For something really different, why not try whipping up a loaf or making a batch of bread using Bacheldre Watermill Oak Smoked Strong Malted Blend Flour,

Traditionally ground in Wales from selected organic wheat, the malted flakes are cold smoked for 18 hours giving the flour a lovely sweet smokiness that is emphasised when baked.

It makes a delicious sandwich filled with a very strong cheddar and a sweet-sharp plum chutney, or go for a double-whammy of smokiness and top with smoked mackerel, horseradish mayo and watercress.

Priced £2.85 for 1.5kg from Waitrose. For info visit www.bacheldremill.co.uk

Schwartz Spices

We all know someone who has a spice rack on their kitchen wall. The spices are often neglected and left just for show, as we are often unsure of which spices to use with different ingredients, and daren\'t experiment for fear of overpowering a dish.

Schwartz have recently scoured the globe in search of global food trends and flavour combinations, sharing their Flavour Forecast 2008 with consumers eager to try out new flavours. Spices are well known for their antioxidant potential, so increasing their use within the diet can only be a positive move. Our favourite combinations were cumin and pomegranate, which is delicious with roasted fish - giving the often-too-pungent spice warm and citrussy flavour, and lemongrass and cardamom which makes a seriously refreshing combination perfect for chicken, fish or a light syrup for tropical fruit salads.

Visit www.schwartz.co.uk for further flavour ideas. Schwartz spices are widely available.

Merchant Gourmet Profiteroles

Profiteroles make for a fantastically indulgent retro pud, but often the offerings in supermarkets have less than fresh tasting fillings and are drowned in cheap chocolate. Making your own can be a complicated affair even for the most accomplished cook, and often choux pastry has a texture resembling shoe leather rather than the light whisper of soft pastry it should.

Merchant Gourmet have come to the rescue with their French patisserie profiteroles, golden and light they make a perfect storecupboard standby for impromptu desserts. Fill with whipped cream flavoured with a little of your favourite boozy tipple and drizzle over chocolate melted with an extra splash of cream or a refreshing fruit coulis.

Priced £2.89 for a box of 24 from Waitrose.

Bottle Green cordials

If your consumption of fruit cordial amounts to a bottle of orange squash bought around Wimbledon tennis season and not more often, then now is the time to change your habits. Bottle Green have launched two new flavours of cordial adding to their artificial colour, flavour and sweetener free range.

Cox\'s Apple and Plum couldn\'t taste more British, and a glassful topped up with chilled water and ice makes for a fantastically refreshing drink. If the weather outside is still a bit miserable and you fancy something warming, Pomegranate and Elderflower is delicious topped up with hot water and a slice of lemon combining home-grown and exotic flavours.

They also make fantastic mixers for your favourite long alcoholic drinks- add a splash to a vodka and soda for a simple cocktail.

Priced £2.69 for a 50cl bottle from Tesco and Waitrose

Bendicks chocolate

We\'ve always believed that chocolate is good for us, even if only for its temporary mood-enhancing capabilities. Recent scientific research has shown that it may be even better than we previously though, and may in fact boost brain power. The high antioxidant and magnesium levels in dark chocolate help to transport oxygen to the brain, improving brain function.

Bendicks have recently developed their Dark Chocolate bar using South American and West African cocoa beans. Smooth and velvety, it packs a whopping 72% cocoa solids, making it incredibly chocolatey, but lacking the bitterness often found with high-cocoa content chocolate. Each 125g bar is handily divided into 5 separately wrapped rations, ideal for weekday rationing.

Priced at £1.49 for 125g

Edam cheese

I\'ve recently reignited my love-affair with Edam; as a child I remember enjoying playing with the waxy rind almost as much as eating the Dutch cheese itself. It so happens that Edam is 25% lower in fat than Cheddar and many other hard cheeses, but still has all the same great melting properties making it the perfect choice for grating into a crispy jacket spud, topping fish pies or making a mushroom and cheese melt.   

Edam is really versatile, mild in flavour-strength, with a creamy, almost nutty flavour, and a very faint smell making it ideal for kids young and old.

Edam is available pre-packed and on the cheese counter at most supermarkets and grocers.